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CBI launches manhunt for CGST officer, two others booked in bribery case
CBI launches manhunt for CGST superintendent and jeweller from Antop Hill for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of INR 1 crore and INR 50 lakh respectively.
MUMBAI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has launched a manhunt for a superintendent of CGST and a jeweller from Antop Hill and his employee, for allegedly demanding a bribe of ₹1 crore and accepting ₹50 lakh, from a gold trader.
According to the FIR, the CGST officer identified as Dhirendra Kumar, was posted in the tax evasion department of the CGST Commissionerate office at Churchgate as superintendent and is currently absconding.
The FIR added that the private persons - jeweller Amritlal Shankhala and his employee Baban, who collected the bribe money on behalf of Dhirendra Kumar, and ran away with the amount - provided by the CBI to the complainant - before the agency officials could arrest him, and are untraceable. Amritlal Shankhala is the owner of Mukesh Jewellers situated in the Antop Hill area and Baban works at his shop.
According to the CBI officials, the businessman is involved in the sale and purchase of gold and lives in Kandivali. The complaint with the central agency was filed by one of his friends, who claimed that he had received a WhatsApp call from the businessman informing him that he was in the custody of the CGST officers at CGST office in Churchgate, connected to the matter of Shree Bullion and other companies and the officer concerned was demanding ₹1 crore for not arresting him for tax evasion.
The complainant said that it was impossible to arrange the money in a short time and after the businessman told the CGST officers about it, the officer reduced the bribe amount from ₹1 crore to ₹80 lakh and after negotiation, the bribe amount was brought down to ₹50 lakh and was to be paid in two instalments - ₹25 lakh on April 20 at Churchgate office and the remaining ₹25 lakh the next day.
As the businessman did not want to pay the bribe amount, the complainant – his friend approached the CBI and filed a complaint submitting evidence of the WhatsApp calls with the businessman. The CBI officials then verified the allegation and laid a trap. The first instalment of the bribe amount of ₹25 lakh was handed over to the person standing with a grey-blue coloured bike, as instructed by the CGST officer. The man accepted the tainted money on behalf of the CGST officer and fled before the CBI officials could nab him. During the probe, the agency identified the CGST official as Dhirendra Kumar, the FIR added.
Further investigation revealed that the tax evasion was related to Shree Bullion and the matter was pending with Dhirendra Kumar. The agency visited Kumar’s residence, but he was not found there, and his mobile was found switched off. The agency checked multiple CCTV footage and identified the private persons allegedly involved in the bribery case –Amritlal Sankhala and his employee Baban, who had purportedly collected the money on behalf of Kumar.
During further investigation, CBI also learnt that the bike on which the duo ran away was registered in the name of Amritlal, who thereafter fled with his family from his Antop Hill house and was staying at his brother’s house in Bhiwandi. But before a CBI team reached Bhiwandi, Amritlal fled from there and his family denied having any knowledge about his whereabouts.
During further investigation, it was learnt that there was a CGST evasion case against Shree Bullion which was being dealt by Dhirendra Kumar. Kumar along with others met the businessman at CC creation building at Vitthalwadi Road in Kalbadevi around 4pm on April 20 and brought him to the CGST office in Churchgate and kept him there for almost five to six hours and thereafter demanded a bribe to let the businessman go.
The case was registered under section 120-B of the Indian Penal Code and sections 7 and 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act against Dhirendra Kumar, Amritlal Sankhala and his employee Baban. All three are absconding.